Kamal Hamade, owner of the Taverna du Liban, made the best chocolate cake, the best Lebanese food and, he thought, the best evacuation plan. The plan wasn't good enough to save him and other foreigners and Afghans who died with him when the Taliban came. But it did save many lives.

I know from my own visits when in Kabul that Kamal did everything possible to make his restaurant a home away from home. Whatever food you ordered, he brought double the amount. He proudly introduced us to Afghan chefs he trained to make Lebanese specialties and Afghan guards who kept his place safe. We talked about his native Lebanon, his risky time in Baghdad, but most of all, his commitment to his new home.

Now his doors are destroyed and, with them, a little of the hope that Kabul can ever be the safe inviting place he wanted the Taverna to be.

"Such targeted attacks against civilians are completely unacceptable and are in flagrant breach of international humanitarian law. They must stop immediately," Mr Ban was quoted as saying.

The UK Foreign Office confirmed that two British nationals were among those killed in the incident.

At least two US citizens died in the attack, the US embassy in Kabul said.

Kamal Hamade, the well-known Lebanese owner of the restaurant, and five women were among the dead. A number of people were injured.

Security forces flooded the area soon after the attack.

The restaurant, in the heart of Kabul's embassy district, was popular with diplomats and foreign workers.

The explosion wrecked the restaurant and destroyed nearby vehicles.

"I was sitting with my friends in the kitchen when an explosion happened and smoke filled the kitchen," Abdul Majid, a chef at the restaurant, told AFP news agency.

"A man came inside shouting and he started shooting. One of my colleagues was shot and fell down. I ran to the roof and threw myself to the neighbouring property."

The attackers were eventually shot dead by the security forces when they arrived at the scene.

The BBC's Mahfouz Zubaide heard the blast and gunfire from at least two kilometres away. He said the gunfire went on sporadically for about 10 minutes.

The Taliban said it carried out the attack, saying it had been deliberately targeting foreign officials.

Security continues to be a major concern in Afghanistan. The last remaining contingent of Nato-led forces is due to leave by the end of the year, having handed over security to Afghan forces.

Washington is pushing Afghan President Hamid Karzai to sign an agreement which would allow some US troops to stay behind after this year's withdrawal.

The Taliban told the BBC's John Simpson earlier this week that it was now back in control of large areas of Afghanistan and was confident of returning to power after Western troops left.

Our correspondent says it is hard to believe the Taliban could make a comeback as things stand, but their takeover of Kabul in 1996 was unexpected, and they could be strengthened if a weak, corrupt president is elected in April.